The president of Valencia, Ximo Puig, has stated that after the publication of the latest data on unemployment in the Valencian Community “there are fewer unemployed than before the start of the pandemic”.

“We can never convey a triumphalist message, because there are still 350,000 people without a job, but it is the first time that a month of January behaves in such a positive way, with special affection for the employment of young people, which is an essential element to leave of the crisis”, he added.

Registered unemployment in the Valencian Community during the month of January fell by 12,188 people, which is 3.28% less than in December and the largest decrease of all the autonomous communities, and leaves the total number of unemployed at 359,296.

According to data from the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, unemployment in Spain rose by 17,173 people in January, 0.55% more than the previous month, although it is the best record of the last 25 years in a month in which unemployment usually increases.

In year-on-year terms, unemployment fell in the Valencian Community by 88,499 people compared to January 2021, a decrease of 19.76%, while in Spain the drop was 841,275 people, 21.11%, which represents a record in the historical series.

Another relevant fact is that permanent contracts in the Valencian Community have grown by 37% compared to the previous month.

The record obtained for permanent contracts in a month of January is the second best of the entire series available (since 1995, 28 years), behind that recorded in January 2007 at the end of the real estate ‘boom’, and the best of the last 15 years.

Registered unemployment in the first month of 2022 fell in three autonomous communities -the Valencian Community, (-12,188), the Madrid Community (-9,750) and the Balearic Islands (-1,539)-, and rose in the remaining 14, while by provinces it fell in 12, led by Madrid (-9,750), Valencia (-6,363) and Alicante (-5,228), and rose in the other 40.

In the province of Valencia, unemployment fell in January by 6,363 people, a 3.56 % less than in December, and left the total number of unemployed people at 172,429. If compared to a year earlier, unemployment fell by 41,252 people, 19.38% less.

In the province of Alicante, unemployment fell in the first month of this year by 5,228 people, a decrease of 3.34% compared to December, and left the number of unemployed people at 151,179. In year-on-year terms, it fell by 38,200 people, 20.17% less.

In the province of Castellón, unemployment fell by 597 people in January, which represents a decrease of 1.65%, bringing the total number of unemployed to 35,688. Compared to January 2021, there are 8,847 fewer unemployed, a decrease of 19.87%.